Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1484758
Pink Pretty B rian Bolke's exotic, fluffy birds of paradise had come back to the roost — his Conservatory on Two for his annual holiday party. Pardon me, but some of those words were appropriated from a special guest that evening (and I don't mean Santa, as I imagine he would never describe a scene with such flourish), but more on that in a moment. Just like Bolke's iconic Dallas Museum of Art Art Ball this past April, all knew to come dressed. Were you expecting something after the word dressed — as in, some trite call to action like "cocktail attire"? No, anyone who knows Mr. Bolke knows that he wants everyone to be their most glamorous (even if that means cowboy boots and a bejeweled duster). As he's a frequent adherent of numerology, his soirée was held on 11/11. The glittering affair launched the boutique's holiday campaign, "Spot On," with a portion of sales benefiting the upcoming Art Ball 2023 and the Dallas Museum of Art. The elevator doors opened for me and my date for the evening, Kristin Bray, to a magical leopard-print wonderland scene with a vibrant pink backdrop. Apparently, that color was the #mood shade that many guests opted to wear. There were so many new pieces in the delicate glass cases and hanging from the racks that I made a beeline to peruse instead of entering the fray of guests for air-kisses and bons mots. Some of the items that caught my eye were from Dee Ocleppo Hilfiger's new collection of Italian crafted shoes and bags, as well as monogrammed silk pajamas exclusive to the Conservatory, The Webster, and farfetch.com. She was there with her legendary husband Tommy Hilfiger. I made it halfway t h r o u g h t h e boutique before I heard a squeal: "Billy!" It was the mistress of the turntables, the ever- effervescent DJ Lucy Wrubel. After a quick embrace and sharing of stories, I spied the man of the hour, Mr. Bolke, and gave him a fist pump — not a usual gesture from my playbook, but it felt like the most appropriate way of expressing congratulations for the enchanting affair. "How did you conceive this?" I asked. "My formula for parties is really to not have a formula," he responded. "Everyone is so different. I never try to predict the vibe. Where people will hang out. What works. What doesn't. Best to let that unfold. The only constant is great music, easy bites … Who doesn't want caviar on a potato chip. Try to get the lights really low and finally, really good cocktails." in AND WILD IN LEOPARD THE CONSERVATORY'S HOLIDAY BASH By Billy Fong. Photography Bruno Snap the Picture and Polaroids Ashley Longshore and Ali Williams (Continued on page 54) Brian Bolke, Ashley Longshore, Nickki St George Missy Rogers Peck Robbie Kruithoff Faisal Halum Nefer Suvio, Ana Pettus Brad & Melissa Ellerman Teak Room Wyatt Harris Holly Hutchinson Harris Meghan Looney, Ben Stocker Ashley Longshore Tommy Hilfiger 52